Explosive shell and a fuse therefor



July 5,1932.

H. G. TOWNER EXPLOSIVE SHELL AND A FUSE THEREFOR Filed May 25, 1929 v Q 3 0 Q N N amnion Harold [S -Tnwner Patented July 5, 1932 Fries HAROLD G. TOWNER, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT EXPLOSIVE SHELL AND A FUSE THEREFOR Application filed May 25, 1929. Serial No. 365,990.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

5 This invention relates to an explosive shell and a fuse therefor.

In shells for the minor caliber guns, such as the 37mm, the general purpose fuse is of v the percussion or detonating type necessarily of reduced size and affording instantaneone action on impact. The shell is fused at the time of loading and is stored and transported in this condition.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide for a mechanical delay action in a fuse of this character without complieating the structure or increasing its size. The matter of size is of vital importance because of the small space available for the T bursting charge in a shell of this caliber.

In arranging for the separate storage and transportation of the fuse and the shell, it is proposed according to this invention, to

associate the bursting charge with the fuse. By virtue of this disposition a uniformly sized chamber in the shells may interchangeably accommodate different classes or types of fuses carrying varying bursting charges. Furthermore, the metalcomponents of the complete shell may be accumulated in time of peace and the loading with explosives performed as the facilities and the occasion require.

1 With "the foregoing andother objects in,

9 View, the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed,it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention hereindisclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention 45 is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein: p y

. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a shell assembled in accordance with the invention and equipped with the improved fuse;

50 Fig. 2 is a similar View of the fuse showing There is shown a projectile consisting of a shell 5 having the thick nose 6 which is a characteristic provision for piercing armor. The cavity or chamber 7 of the shell conforms substantially to the shape of the shell and opens into the base thereof. At the mouth 8 of the cavity the shell is threaded for attachment of a cylindrical fuse body 9 on whose forward extremity is secured, as by crimping, a thin case or thimble 10 inclosing a bursting charge 11. The fuse unit when inserted in the shell completely occupies the chamher 7.

The fuse body 9 is a tubular member which may, as in the present instance, be formed with a diaphragnrila at its forward ex- 1;

tremity. The fuse body is arranged to successively receive aplug 12 carrying a detonator 13, a hollow percussion plunger 14 carrymg the primer 15 and a base plug 16 housing a firing pin 17. The end plugs 12 and 16 are spaced to provide a chamber in which the plunger may have a freedom of longitudinal movement sufiicient forits operation. The plunger is normally held immovable in unarmed position by means of a set back sleeve 18. supported at its forward end 19 by the fuse body and secured to the plunger by means ofshear pins 20. The forward portion of the plunger is reduced to provide an annular shoulder 21 forming a seat for a plunger spring 22 which is confined by the detonator plug 12.

The base plug 16 contains a chamber 23 for housing the enlarged base 24 of the firing pin and limiting its movement axially of the fusewA resilient splitring 25 placed in an annular groove 26 in the periphery of the base 24 engages the wall of the chamber 23 to normally hold the firing pin in the retracted position with its point 27 disposed in the opening 28 in the base plug'directly This member will move forward with the firmg pin due to its inertia arising from retardation of the shell on impact and when restrained against continued forward movement by the arresting of the firing pin it will be thrown outwardly towards the wall of the chamber 23 through the action of centrifugal force and maintained there in a position to prevent its'return to the recess 29 and to engage behind the firing pin and insure its retention in the armed position with its point extruding from the base plug.

During this action the plunger, which has been released when the sleeve 18 moves to the rear on set back to shear the pins 20, likewise moves forward due to its inertia and compresses the spring'22; When the force of inertia has diminished sufficiently to permit the spring to predominate the plunger will be driven rearwardly to its original position. During the period of delay thus mechanically obtained, the firing pin is moved to the armed position and beingheld by the member 30, it will strike and penetrate the primer carried by the plunger. The flash from the primer will pass through the hollow plunger and function the detonator 13 which, in turn, sets off the bursting charge 11. i

I claim:

l. A fuse comprising a tubular body, a plug in each end of the body, a detonator carried by one plug, an inertia movable firing pin in the other plug, said firing pin normally retracted when unarmed and extruded when armed in the direction of the detonator, locking member movable through inertia to a position behind the extruded firing pin and centrifugally held against return, a hollow percussion plunger disposed between the 'plugs, a primer carried by the plunger, a

spring confined between the plunger and detonator plug and a sleeve movable on setback for normally holding the plunger immovable.

2. A fuse comprising a tubular body, a plug in each end of the body, a detonator carried by one plug, an inertia movable firing pin in the other plug, said firing pin normally retracted when unarmed and extruded when armed inthe direction of the detonator,

means for maintaining the firing pin in extruded position, a hollow percussion plunger ried by the plunger, a spring confined between the plunger and detonator plug and means disengageable from the plunger for normally holding the plunger immovable.

4. A fuse comprising a tubular body, a plug in each end or" the body, a'detonator carried by one plug, an inertia movable firing pin in the other plug, said firing pin normally retracted when unarmed and extruded when armed in the direction of the detonator, means for maintaining the firing pin in extruded position, a hollow percussion plunger disposed between the plugs, a primer carried by the plunger and a spring confined between the plungerand detonator plug.

5. A fuse comprising a body, an inertia movable firing pin normally in unarmed position, 'means'initially movable in the direction of the firing pin for maintaining the firing pin in armed position, an inertia movable plunger normally in armed position, a spring normally urging the plunger to armed position, j and a primer carried by the plunger.

6. A fuse comprising a body, an element of a firing mechanism within the body normally unarmed and moved to armed position on impact, means for maintaining said element in armed position, a second element of a firing mechanism associated with said movable firing pin normally" in unarmed position movable on impact to armed positlon, means for'maintaimng the firing pin in armed position, an inertia movable plunger normally in armed position, means operable by set back to release the plunger, a

spring tensioned on impact to arm the plunger, and 'a primer carried by the plunger.

HAROLD G. TOWNEB.

disposed between the plugs, a primer carried by the plunger, a spring confined ber tween the plungerand detonator plug and-a sleeve movable on setback for normally hold- 

